Kervallion

Martin is left alone, Moosa is not

The party where in The worlds fence buying “recovered” items from a shady auction and while inspecting their haul where interrupted by someone implying himself to be the owner of Terba castle’s arcane laboratory asking how they got in, the party promptly attacked. They stabbed but he did not bleed, Moosa was paralysed and Rolan was compelled to stop and not long after arriving the mage disappeared. The party gathered what space remained in the portable hole alongside Rolan’s new alchemy lab and where carried away by Rolan who was able to observe that they seemed to be completely alone in the auction house.

In the morning the group asked after Mark and where
told that someone had been summoned from Estaria to help him, someone who also had an interest in speaking with Thia. Later where wandering the docks in the direction of Tilo’s ship when someone called out in their direction “Martin! Martin is that you?”. Eric arbalest for the “Company of St. Martin” and apparently old friend of “Martin”. Mara went with “Martin” to meet the old company and had to sprint to keep up as Moosa fled a company in which he was no longer welcome.

A curious party was offered a deal of shots for questions. Thia left to delve into the deep and arcane mysteries of the soap of refreshment and Mara got all she wanted in short order, leaving Rolan, Moosa and Howling Under The Two Moons to be inquisitive as they could stomach, leaving them with the challenge of making it back to the inn. Wandering the streets the pair where offered some assistance making it home Rolan and Howling under the two moons refused and left but Moosa was intrigued at what he saw as an opportunity for some extra-party interaction, Mara for her part spent her efforts ensuring that Rolan didn’t lose the portable hole.

In the morning Moosa arrived back at their inn wearing a lovely new dress and leather boots combination he had acquired, it was also noticed that he arrived without the white streak in his hair. Moosa did have instructions on meeting up with the person in possession of his equipment so after a day of Rolan and Howling under the two moons searching the town to find where the portable hole ended up (Mara had it) the group converged at the meeting place.

Moosa didn’t ask Sarra’s name but she did all but confirm that she was the one Vigo had sent after the golden knot in Mara’s absence and seeing the nature of the party came to the logical conclusion that she was unlikely to get it back from them, the more questionable decision was holding Moosa’s equipment ransom for assistance in robing the Ironguard bank, the group was given some time to consider and told to meet back up tomorrow.

Robing the bank could be difficult but not impossible for a group such as they where and could even be profitable, the bigger problem was that after a misunderstanding involving the feywild artefact Mara informed the party that she had other business and left saying they would see her in Valendris afterwards…

The party arrive in Arcona

Mark Valor along with all his magical equipment Rioter included was stored in the portable hole as the party chartered Tilo Viera’s ship for a journey to Arcona. Mark was able to spend some time tied to the mast but once land was sighted Mark was back in the hole and the hole was placed in a corked bottle.

Arriving in a city that housed both mages and priests Thia searched for the next item her book demanded, Moosa found accommodation and Rolan and Mara visited an alchemist who being not to their liking let the whole group to arrive at the Estarian cathedral. A sedated Mark was given over to the priests care as was seven hundred gold (and a tip about the secrets of Terba castle).

The Estarians reported that Mark showed signs of being scarred by dark influences and so was restrained. The party where told that these might be gradually healed with time spent there and that someone would be contacted to sponsor his recovery. The party watched as Mark tied to a table and begging them to save him had a fluid pored over his eyes that dissolved them the resulting liquid stored in two bottles.

Mara became aware of a semi-secret auction that would be taking place and might lead to items she and Thia wanted. That would occur after nightfall so Thia had time to indulge a rapidly growing interest in gambling houses. Mark safely locked away the party turned the trip into something of a working holiday partaking in the seafood, fruit alcohol, cards and dice available. Rolan and Moosa gambled as Thia lingered taking notes, Moosa ended up ahead but used his winnings to make Rolan strike even.

Thia and Mara took the opportunity to purchase new clothing that they might look nice for the auction, Rolan, Moosa and Howling Under The Two Moons explored a little visiting the markets and buying some potions, a herbalism book and…. a magic lantern

the auction the party attended seemed to be the possessions of a wizard beginning with basic robes before the magic came out the original owner having fallen on the wrong side of Estarian justice but not before inventing small magical effects for his own standard of living. Thia ( predictably ) started by bidding on wine but did also acquire “Soap of refreshment” and “No-pain tooth rinse”. Mara tracked down a woman she suspected was sent by Vigo as a replacement for Mara herself, Mara did win a set of “cut-proof purse strings” and a set of cut-crystal bottles (with stoppers and storage case) but gave up on the location tags. Moosa got into a small bidding skirmish over potion, scroll and spellbook supplies with a wizard short of patience and stature. Rolan cast a thought to his underhill home and purchased an alchemy lab in the hopes that he would somehow be able to transport it back home.

The last two items where what the party had come for, Mara competed against her counterpart for a necklace of gems and a golden knot making full use of more than one treasure pile the group had looted. Moosa bided on black iron lantern winning in the end by bidding more than he actually had without Thia’s assistance. The two items won at auction all the party had to do was claim them without anyone stopping them or stealing anything…

Mark is arrested twice

Done with their northern Home Invasion the party travelled back south, Moosa brought a large part of the Verdant sun back because the north wasn’t that dangerous surely a smaller force can maintain ground without him. Moosa and the mercenaries marched, the rest teleported but in the end all roads led back to Valandris including that of Mark Valor.

When Mara was paying a visit to Edward Mark didn’t recognise Edwards antics for what they where and so snuck up and impaled him which was for Edward inconvenient. Edward was sent to Ferri and Mark was taken to the Valandris academy to see Thia. After taking the salt test Mark explained that he had come to town to try and get an item of his identified the “Rioter”. Mark had a glove with a metal frame sown in and he claimed that when he clicked his fingers it made others around him aggressive, that he had started a tavern brawl. Mark talked of testing it further as Thia thought of ways to perhaps test it safely Mark talked of testing it at the local tavern, getting word through the earrings Mara and Moosa mad their way to the tavern ahead of Mark bringing Ferri.

Outside the tavern Thia alerted Zanthon to Marks intentions, Zan suggested that he stop Mark before he starts something but Thia said to wait she wanted to see what happened and she still thought Mark might be joking. Inside the tavern Mark looked around, took a start on a quick drink with Moosa, wandered off to inspect the back smoking rooms and clicked his fingers.

Those within earshot of the click which rang out unnaturally loudly and clearly became suddenly alarmed instinctively sensing some immediate danger and a need to flee or strike back. Many fled rushing past or over other some attacked whoever was closest. Moosa resisted the effects and had to resist Ferri, Mara did not but she knew the source of her distress and sought out Mark. Thia who had been waiting outside the tavern (and indeed the riotous effect) helped track down Mark she begun casting putting Mark to sleep and then restraining Mara, soon after Zanthon and Griffolk arrived with a force of guards to clean up with a recovering Ferri.

An unconscious mark was taken to the keep having been striped of all magic items while the party along with Ferri and Margret Vint gathered in the academy to try and destroy it which did prove problematic as it soon disappeared arriving back in Marks possession and allowing him to escape killing the extra guards Mara arranged. As Mark tried to hide Thia scried and knowing Mark as well as she did succeeded. Catching up Rolan and Howling Under The Two Moons tackled mark to the ground briefly but released him when they saw that Mara was shooting him. Mark had one last chance to escape but Thia still scrying found him and begun casting again draining the moisture and vitality form Mark until he was subdued again. Rolan revived Mark who surrendered, he returned his sword to the portable hole and….. was caught trying to steal back the rioter and his vest.

This time Mark was sat in an academy room surrounded by old friends, Ferri was asked to do what he could which didn’t seem to be enough. Thia sealed Mark in a sphere so he couldn’t access the sword as they tried to destroy it. The sword could resize itself and so caused some Rolan to miss his axe strike more than once, Rolan got one good hit in but do damage was seen, discussing concentration was briefly lost, the spheres duration ran out and the sword disappeared, everyone was searched but it could not be found and Mar was again blind.

Mark tried to accuse Ferri of being a cultist and claimed to be working for Vigo though neither claim seemed to save him. Thia was ( or perhaps wanted to be ) convinced that this wasn’t Mark, that he was possessed or it was a Slaad, Rolan was happy to stand with his old friend and prepared himself to make a daring rescue should the need arise, Mara admitted that she hadn’t known Mark as long as the others and couldn’t trust him, Moosa recalled Thia burning people alive Mara poisoning and Rolan impaling he had spent five years looking for the party and knew what he was willing to do for his friends.

Mark was convinced that he was dead and so took the opportunity to get some last barbs in but despite his best efforts Mark was not yet executed, the last of the party’s goodwill allowed a plan where they would transport Mark to Arcona and he would not return. Storing Mark in Rolan’s underhill home the party took one last day to prepare before they exiled their old untrustworthy and sarcastic friend to foreign lands…

The party invade someones land for profit

Moosa was invading the Gateway to the north for Erin Hastings and the rest of the party had been invited along. Sneaking up to the walls in the predawn hours Thia cast a spell that caused a section of the outer wall to form a tunnel they could travel through, then that in place she created two arcane gates, one inside the castle one outside allowing a force set up beforehand to begin flowing into the courtyard. Mara Stormwind possessing of a magical pair of slippers was able to walk directly vertically up walls, an ability she used to attack guards from unexpected directions as she made her way to open the castle’s portcullis. As more arrived in the courtyard and the main force approached Rolan and Howling Under The Two Moons where seen leaping between towers and running across crenelations, that is those not distracted by the huge raging swarm of ravens. The ravens swarmed one man at a time completely overwhelming them and once the party where gaining control of the walls swarmed the large melee in the courtyard. Joining through the arcane gate was the Valandris mages who immediently sought high ground so as to rain down what fire they could muster. As the battle seemed to be decisively turning in the southerners favour there was witnessed a last desperate charge by a heavily armoured individual lated identified as perhaps the castle’s walls, ended when Rolan rendered him headless.

The walls breached and the courtyard taken, next came the main keep and soon the castle itself. As some began reasserting the defences they had just thwarted others took the chance to rest and drink looted spirits. There was found a hole in one of the back walls and an arrow pointing out to the forest but the party decided that it wasn’t worth the risk of investigating.

Rolan was approached and asked if he could take a look at some strange plant life growing in one of the buildings further from the keep itself. The building however rather than strange plants and flowers as had been suggested featured some pale gentlemen with hostile intent one of them perhaps identifying themself in “Do you know why they call me ”/wikis/terba-castle" class=“wiki-page-link”> Obby the rat? Because rats survive". Rolan found himself briefly paralyzed and as he was attacked weakened, shortly before the party could arrive to render assistance Rolan backed out of the room only for his attackers to close the door behind him and as it soon became clear flee.

The keep had been taken, “Obby” was still at large but if the party had a plan for dealing with him it would not manifest yet, Moosa had to send word to Erin Hastings and have the castle prepared but then there was other party to deal with. Rolan had strange directions from another dimension pointing south of Avissium and Thia had orders from an old book pointing to Arcona but the party’s first concern was the “disappearance” of Zorias and his teleportation circle that the party presumed led back to Xargosia…

The party join an active siege

Most of the party where trying to reenter the world after being gone for Five years and Moosa had unfinished business before he could go back to running around with his old group. And so Moosa, Mara, Rolan, Thia, Howling Under The Two Moons, and five mages from Margret’s makeshift academy (Thomas, George, Joane, Berton and Johny Lowe) marched north with a resupply wagon for the “Verdant Sun”.

Moving through the hills Rolan found the paths the raiders had used to safely get the party to the edge of “The endless forest” without noticeable resistance. This forest being unfamiliar and some what foreboding the group skirted the edge between the forest and the local swamp the whole time getting the impression that they where being stalked from the forest. Fearing an ambush the group took to camping the wagons inside a ring of arcane domes. Using a druidic technique he had neglected Rolan was able to reach out his consciousness and discern that there where two groups of six individuals in the forest likely following. Mara tried to instruct the mages in how to maintain a proper watch with limited success but it was only the first in a series of efforts to dissuade the mages of the notion that the trip would be any kind of grand adventure. Following up from his detections Rolan scouted ahead and discovered a large pit with spikes grown from the soil at the bottom and signs that it might have been dug by claws not dissimilar to the creatures Rolan summons to do the digging for him, all that could be determined for sure was some hostile intent.

As an unfortunate effect from traveling so close to the swamp the group found themselves surrounded by a rolling mist making visibility a problem. In the mist Rolan and Thia spotted a group of what turned out to be humans, humans in Verdant Sun colours as it turned out which is why it was strange when they attacked. Rolan took most of the attacks before the mages caught up and all cast fireballs decisively ending the conflict. Investigating the bodies it was discovered that they all had black eyes and slit throat which even for the north was unusual. Moosa had the bodies loaded onto the wagon and they continued on.

Eventually the party did arrive at the Verdant Sun/Hastings siege of the northern castle and had a chance to rest a little. Settling in Rolan found that he was recognised as second in command and treated as such, Thia made sure the mages where adequately set up and Mara met Naythe a former crew member of Zanthon’s who had joined up with Moosa in the party’s absence and he introduced her to some of the rest of the company who had it seemed lost some faith in Moosa during this “cursed campaign” to the north.

Rolan decided to investigate the castle in question which turned out to be surrounded on three sided by forest. Any town structure existed entirely within its walls but there was enough of a drainage system to allow an elf with a little nature magic to send through an Avissium rat who he had magically bonded with to do a little scouting, nor did the castle stop that same elf from magically camouflaging himself and the giant owl he rode by night to scout from above with his elvish night vision.

Over their journey the Valandris mages had been snuck up on, urinated on, been shown fresh corpses and given the impression that they where definitely going to die. They had been taken out to introduce the officers their magic and “show them your not demons” and been provided a personal bodyguard each. On what they thought might be their last night they gathered and drank, they turned away the employed company Mara sent their way bud did engage in some “who will kill more” gambling Moosa encouraged.

That same night Rolan instead sought solitude and so meditated outside of camp with Howling under the two moons. Back in the camp a howl was heard followed by a loud bang, the party heard through their earrings Rolan’s predicament and rushed in his direction hearing another bang. Moosa, Mara, Thia and a small calvary force arrived to find Rolan, Howling under the two moons and two large dead bipedal wolves along with reports of a third that fled. Rolan had healed himself but Moosa made Tavis give a small blessing just in case.

That night before dawn the party would try and break a siege half a year in the making, Thia prepared to open magical doors and gateways, the mercenaries prepared to fight and the mages prepared to die surely they would be fine so long as there where no more undead scouts, charging wolves or tribal elves…

The party return to their salted home

Thia, Rolan, Mara and Howling Under The Two Moons stepped out of a land of eternal Sunset only to return to a Valandris not quite as they remembered it. After they passed “the salt test” Zanthon told them that he hadn’t seen them in seemingly almost five years as opposed to the months it had seemed to them. More salt and some magic confirmed as well as could be determined that the party where who they said they where so they where able to reintroduce themselves to the world. It turned out that the last time the group had been in Valandris building things and spending platinum they had gained something of a reputation, a reputation that had only grown since they disappear suddenly especially when those who knew them insisted that they weren’t necessarily dead and could return at any time. The teleportation circle and Margret Vint’s efforts had turned the upstart academy into a functioning school for the arcane arts but it was Thia’s reputation that filled it with would be campaigners wanting to throw fire and quip at monsters. Time and the teleportation circle had given Valandris a functioning Estarian chapel, a heavily Hastings presence, complete walls for the castle and a trading economy with Avissium in essence most of the things the party had wanted for Valandris (except perhaps independence form the Hastings).

Thia was able to reacquaint herself with Vancill while Mara and Zan had one of their very rare open conversations about their relationship (certainly the first in five years) and decided that for the moment they would pursue a relationship pleasing Valandris’ gossips to no end. Rolan made do expanding his personal holdings with the assistance of Giles and one of thia’s pixies (sprites?, fairies?). The pixies had been loaned out to various party members and allies during this time seeking adventure and glory and mostly finding guarding and lawn mowing.

A couple of weeks had passed and the party had settled in somewhat when a filthy disheveled Estarian rode into town wearing battered armour, Moosa had not been with the party for their sunset adventures and so had spent the last years building his mercenary company and searching for his lost friends. The party being mostly unscathed from their experiences looked after a battered Moosa ensuring he was bathed and fed, taking his armour to be repaired and giving him a drink Rolan brewed with deepwood moss that induced a magically restful sleep.

On their return the party had encountered many of their old allies to check in but one they couldn’t find was Zorias who had been gone almost as long as they had last being seen in the house in Valandris he had been given, investigating Thia found a note reading only “sorry” and the faded remains of a teleportation circle, in an act of restraint almost reaching sane Thia did not immediently use the sigil herself.

While there was a wish to find Zorias and a need to follow Thia’s Estarian book (now pointing to Arcona) Moosa had actually come from a siege in progress and that still had to be resolved. The party as Moosa’s friends volunteered themselves to go back with him and help resolve the situation, Thia being dismayed that Moosa had never recruited any mages into his army brought along some of her fans form the Valandris academy. And so the party rode to the untamed north to fight monsters and men and to end a siege almost a year in the making…

A trip so nice they took it twice

The party where trying to make it to the land of the fey and learning to Look before you leap. To this end they had made a visit to Pentagast Davion and his iron cave who directed them to at least the direction that a fey crossing might be possibly. Seeking a clearer solution the party went to the nearby druidic grove where they again encountered the (troublesome) druid Inda, she was able to give clear(er) directions involving moving through walls of vine, following these directions they stepped through….

Back in the clearing the party where able to stop and rest, their pursuers apparently unwilling or unable to follow. The party was however confused and dazed as they had in returning lost all memory of their journey beyond. They searched their equipment for clues finding the formal wear, the bottles and a note Rolan had penned about the elven relic, they did however take the blue flower on Howling Under The Two Moons as just a flower. Their mission seemingly unfulfilled the group set out again towards the vine wall and crossed back over to the land of eternal twilight. Sneaking around the camp of their hulking pursuers they made it back to the Imperial road and begun back towards the elven city. While resting for the… evening Thia again noticed the inexpert stalking of Gregory the satyr again sketching the group. In a not dissimilar manner to last time Gregory was again caught though this time announced himself as Jeff. Reacquainted with Gregory/Jeff’s vulgar company another deal was struck this time Gregojeff would lead them to the elvish city’s place an Rolan would return the sketch book again confiscated.

This time the party where led to a village outside the city seemingly unoccupied tough still looking maintained. though hidden tunnels the group made their way back into the city and begun (with Rolan’s magical assistance) sneaking their way through to the palace, upon arrival Grogojeff claimed his book back and promptly fled stopping only to take his second attempt to steal Howling under the two moons’ flower. Before the party could begin some elaborate plan to break into the palace Mara deduced that Howling under the two moons’ flower was indeed “The face of everything” and they had had it with them the whole time.

Returning to the forest they entered, the group narrowly avoided successfully sneaking past more of the brutish individuals camped in the area. In the ensuing fight Mara was unlucky in sneaking, Rolan conjured many large badgers, Thia almost burnt down the forest and the party won. Searching the camp it was found that the brutes had been trying to cook still living fey creatures (pixies?, fairies?, Sprites?) who upon being rescued pledged themselves to their new “fire lord” unable to come up with a nonlethal way to get rid of them Thia took them along ignoring Rolan’s requests to claim one.

The party passed through the vines again and made it seemingly back to reality, after one more rest in the druid grove they begun the journey back to Valendris. Flying over Valendris the town seemed to be prospering, suspiciously well even the castle had even been repaired. As the group moved through town a growing crowd begun silently following them, as the made it to the outside of the “Ear to the ground” (now with a sign depicting what the name implies) Thia grabbed a bystander and asked “What year is it?”…

we're going to behir all day

Returning from Terba castle the party had no immediate obvious threats, Moosa frustrated with his finances but unwilling to accept money from the party decided to take some time (and T.B.H. ) and travel to northern Estaria to work on forming his mercenary company leaving with a “goodbye, no don’t tell me what your going to do”. Rather than sit idle in Moosa’s absence Thia offered the party another mission, this time she was questioned about where these tasks where coming from and so she told them.

The wizards sanctum the party had found contained a book titled “Help I’ve discovered a hidden library/laboratory full of magic: A beginners guide” it contained a series of tasks for the one who found it along with a geas to ensure they do. The reason that Thia had had the party break into Terba castle and steal the warding crystal was because the book told her to. Thia had apparently been geased by some combination of the book and the green leather chair in the library and so had to (at some point “Obey the books commands”). The book now talked of “The land of Faeire” a parallel realm from which the fey come. The book spoke of a pristine waterfall framed by two trees that one must jump off to cross over.

The party traveled back into Estaria flying out of the Terba valley and reaching Arrent a city on the edge of the forest they planned to enter, there they stocked up on rations, water and waterskins preparing for a place where they couldn’t necessary trust food and drink they found/where offered. Rolan led the group into the forest and found the river the book spoke of and followed it upstream. On the journey floating lights where spotted that Thia identified as will-o-wisps and creatures that could lead travelers astray, the party ignored them and they stopped seeing them as they got closer to their destination.

Getting closer to the mountains Mara heard distantly ahead the sound of combat, moving ahead the party saw that the waterfall flowed through a ruined building not mentioned in the book. sneaking up to the courtyard the group found corpses strewn about and a large blue reptilian creature. The party attacked and the creature charged Thia, almost killing her before Rolan intervened. When a healed Thia unleashed the inevitable fireballs the shaken creature spat out what turned out to be a still living man in full plate mail Sir Octavio Maubourg. The creature suffering from burns, cuts and a shot out eye attempted a retreat but was scorched of the wall it climbed. With the combat over Sir Octavio was able to introduce himself claiming that he was there specifically to fight that creature, when the party suggested rest he pulled supplies from the corpses about (his retainers as it turned out). While they rested tales of adventure where told including the Dragon of Iron pass while this was going on it was noticed that Sir Octavio never took of his helmet or armour. Thia stepped out from the camp and

Sir Octavio joined the group as they searched the ruined monastery they found themselves at. The place clearly hadn’t been used in some time and had signs of a failed defence against some attacking force, perceptive force that the group was they noticed the small pale creatures lurking in the rafters waiting to ambush. The creatures struck out with toothed hands and tried to choke but like so many before fell to arcane fire. Investigating a back garden the trees mentioned in the book where found arching over either side of the river to meet above, following the instructions Rolan leapt from the cliff to the pool below, Thia and Mara followed. The three found themselves not in a mysterious land of the fey but instead in a pool lucky not to have killed themselves.

The party where led to the conclusion that if this had been the crossing they where looking for it was no longer. Thinking perhaps they had simply arrived at the wrong waterfall the group spent the rest of the week searching up and down the forest leaving Sir Octavio to brave the lower levels of the monastery. With none of the other waterfalls matching the description the party where led to the conclusion that their information was out of date and the building of the monastery or perhaps something that had happened there had disrupted the effect. They did revisit the monastery only to find it seemingly cleared, its monsters slain any treasure gone. Still needing to reach “The land of Faeire” the party drew up a teleportation circle and paid a visit to Pentagast Davion…

snitches get stitches, rats get magic longswords

The party had left The town that platinum built for Estaria on a quest of dubious origin. Thia directed the group towards Terba castle where they where to break into the dungeons to recover something she apparently needed. The party dressed as nicely as they had means to and hid their obvious magic before riding in to meet the lord. Moosa informed lord Merrin that he was in the area searching for his missing scoundrel of a brother in law Berem. Moosa was suspiciously evasive about his own status, Mara had more success first telling the story of one of their bold adventures then negotiating to quickly go down to the dungeons to see in she recognised anybody, leaving the rest to wait outside holding the “Verdent Sun” banner and telling tales of grey renders. There was only one prisoner present in the cells that day Obby “The Rat” who while friendly enough was neither Berem nor an artifact Thia needed. Following Thia’s directions (given through the earrings) Mara checked the back wall of the furthest back cell and spotted a small carved marking, apparently what they where looking for.

Gathering the next day most of the group entered the portable hole while Thia teleported herself through a window in Obby’s cell and into the dungeons. The party regathered from the portable hole and moved to the back cell, briefly joined by Obby before Rolan decided to kill him. At the back wall Thia spoke the words “Let shadows hide what light cannot understand” which opened a secret door into a hidden chamber ( how she knew to do that remains unclear ). The chamber beyond seemed to be some kind of arcane laboratory, a strange find in Estaria, there was a series of tables covered with restraining straps, above the tables was a series of sliding plates that could be moved to uncover magical symbols, Moosa found this out by becoming stunned for a minute. While the rest collected books and tracked down the gold Thia begun messing with a device she pulled from the wall that begun glowing and loudly humming. The noise seemed to alert the dungeon guard though he was unable to interfere as the party had closed the hidden entrance behind them. The device was obtained along with books and gold and the party teleported away.

The party had borrowed there horses from a local village and then left them at the castle before teleporting away, with some cautious use of Rolan’s giant eagles members of the group where able to get back to the castle within a few days and smooth talk their way into getting the horses back while the incident in the dungeons was still confused and unclear. as this trip took place Thia back at the ( safehouse?sanctum?laboratory? ) opened a spellbook to find an arcane symbol that stopped her heart. Fortunately Tavis happened to be stuck in the area and was able to revive her.

The party had stolen a warding device from a hidden and presumably nefarious arcane laboratory in an Estarian landed knight’s castle for reasons if understood by anyone only Thia although seemingly as part of some larger plan. No one had yet clearly worked out what happened in the Terba dungeons but the investigation had begun…

The solstice comes and goes and no one gets Edward a shirt

With the raiders defeated the party where able to return to Valandris and see the effects of their Seeds sown. Zanthon made it back and was able to take charge organising a force to travel north and deter raids, soon minor trade deals where set up and and major deals where established with the Hastings who brought in skilled workers to work the towns produce with this the town begun to be prosperous enough that it begun attracting residents from surrounding villages. With the town functioning and stable the party where able to spend some of wealth they had recently acquired, Moosa wanting to form a mercenary company had Giles produce armour for himself and Rolan each emblazoned with his new device, Rolan also took the skin from the grey render fought outside Sannus and had it made into a standard (that was later added to by Giles). Between teleportation circle and the giant eagle/portable hole combination the trip from Valandris to Avissium and back was compared to walking preposterously fast so soon the group where making semi-regular visits back to catchupwitholdfriends especially Zorias who was tasked with improving Moosa’s armour and hand crossbows, Rolan’s armour, new swords and battle (standing) standard and a stockpile of reagents and components that Margret and/or Thia could cast work on a permanent teleportation circle in Valendris. The trips did also provide an opportunity for Thia to personally recruit a paper maker and an alchemist in the hope that they would be useful and not to much like old Thaddius.

As long as they where living in Valendris the party took different roles within the town, Thia lived and worked in the magic academy that Margret had almost accidentally ended up running teaching what she had learnt about “field magic”, she did briefly flirt with the idea of building her own attached tower but decided she would save her efforts for the “Deep woods”. Rolan found that he had (more or less) inspired a hunting lodge but rather than working as part of that he used summoned beasts to tunnel an underground home on the outskirts of town, Mara simply claimed a existing house and set it up with the usual amenities such as noisemaker traps and a poisoners lab, Moosa for his part slept in a broken castle tower until it begun being repaired, he did make plans to build a large reinforced wall but gave up for financial reasons.

Between building, Avissium trips and the northern anti-raid expedition things remained relatively stable, Thia learnt some Estarian and Mara learnt some elvish, Mara had regular breakfasts with Ferri to practice Estarian, Thia met with him regularly to discuss theology. Even Edward ended ip joining the town when winter came. When year’s end and the solstice came the town gathered outside the tavern and around the (suspiciously rapidly) growing apple tree in celebration and an exchange of custom built and magically enchanted gifts, Mara gave Zan axes and he gave her a quiver ( heh ) Thia teleported to Avissium and exchanged a custom rapier for some wine in a showing of how far Thia had come not as alarming as when she took Vancill to Valandris via eagle.

On a cool Elgara winters morning Zorias arrived in town and failed to remain inconspicuous. Strange as it was to see him so far from his store he offered no explanation but asking to see the building the party had promised him. This was strange not as pressing as the opportunity for profit. Thia had come to the party with a job, one to be done in Estaria, the party had surprisingly little questions about where the task came from but did find out that payment came in the form of “they’ll be something valuable there, I’l know it when I see it” at this point this was enough and so through to the magic ( safehouse?sanctum? ) to spend the night before setting off in the morning.

In Estaria’s Terba valley the party sourced horses and directions form a nearby village and begun the journey to Terba castle so that they could get Thia to the castles dungeon where she could……….. do… something.
The party where now in Estaria, Rolan didn’t know the language and Thia couldn’t openly use magic. The party where about to break into a castle, what could go wrong?…